1. Technical Field
The present teaching relates to methods, systems and programming for providing personalized web page layouts.
2. Discussion of Technical Background
The tremendous advancement in the world of the Internet has made it possible for a user to electronically access virtually any content. With the explosion of information, it has become more and more challenging to find desired information and to present it to a user in a way that is engaging, easy, and useful. For example, a user may search desired content via a search engine by specifying a query which usually includes one or more keywords. A search is returned, and the user is presented with information arranged in a standard configuration regardless of the user's specific interests, habits and behaviors. On many occasions, what a user desires is more than a simple list of individual and stand alone pieces of information that a conventional search engine typically returns. Accordingly, topical portals have developed that are more topic oriented then traditional search engines, and allow users to access information based on subject matter rather than simple searches. Portals on finance, sports, news, weather, shopping, music, art, film, etc., exist and are used by many users. For example, a user may be interested in specific pieces of financial information related to a specific company and would like all the relevant information related to that company or stock to be easily accessible and logically placed in a single location. Rather than simply searching in a search engine, a user may begin their search from a portal page, such as Yahoo® Finance. A typical portal page, such as Yahoo® Finance, will present the user with a layout of content modules prearranged in a set order. The modules of the page are related and arranged in a preset order, regardless of the user's identity, preferences, or behaviors. Furthermore, due to the number of users accessing information on the internet, it is crucial to users and service providers to be able to allow users to find the information they seek in a quick, efficient manner. For example, if a user has to scroll down on the screen to reach an area of a web page before clicking on that area, the user has wasted time, and the content provider has tied up valuable resources during that period that could otherwise be used servicing the user better or servicing other users.
Personalized page layout increases the user's engagement with the site and makes web sites more popular. It makes advertising more effective by presenting content to users in a more appealing and targeted manner. Accordingly, given the amount of information available to users, and the differences among users, there is a need for organizing and presenting content on a web page to a user in a personalized manner, so that it is more appealing, more effective, and more efficient for a user to navigate and find the desired information.